Tree-protecting device.



J. S. KIRFMAN. TREE PROTECTING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 5, 1917.

Patented Jan.1,1918.

wnmess Tare/Mar @441 M l/miw J1 To all whom it-m y' coneem: I

Be it knowfthat'l; JOHN'S. IiIRFM' ANQ a citizen bf theUnitedJState's;andiesident 7 State of' few have invented-e1 certain new and usefulTree-Protecting Device-5 15f which the following is a s eeifieetionfi- IMy invention relates to devicee forpl otecti'ng the lower par cs of thetiu'nks' of trees, endcovering the 'reundadjeeentta the feet" of thetreei I I The'obje'ct 'ef 'm fihventien' i's to provide such a deviceeepiz'bleei ready 'aj'n d easyga'd justment 't'o fit tree "(i1- shri1b'sof differeiit' sizes; havin ai edihstahleportion for sur; rounding-thet'reetrunka" i A further object isto 'p'revide shelf-e device havinglaterally exteii'dihg' meme- (it its lower f and adi: ted to rest fiawnth ground-which- Wil revent-"acces"tq the roots of the treeshe'ai thetreetri'xfih-"a d will "prevent grass fromfgrewifig in small circle'a'roufld the tree, tihd'will' pei'fni't" a, mow-er to travel over se-idlaterally extend ingmeans' for "cuttin grt'ss*around-theedge thereof. II I I M invention eonsiste-ihth cnstriietion, arrangement "and:combinetion iii "the Va riou's' parte'ef the 'device'wher by'theobject's cbntemplated are attained? as "herei-iiafter more fully s'efi"=folth,""poihtd out iii claims, and illuStr drawings; in which I I I IFigure: 1: sh'o'WS'a top erpisiiview of my improved tree protebtmg deriee;part ofthe flat lace at the lowei eiid; the deviate: ing, omitted:

FigfiQ shows'e's'ideeleir'a'tioii of the same,

with the parts their i'asseinhled' 1505mm;

Fig. -3 ,show's:a side elevationqf the por tion 1 of the device,Rriewed" from-the inside theieo'fa' Y spee'aeeaee Leies mane the eccdmpari in Patented Jail. 1, 1918:

The memloe'rs" 10 are -zidjustably connected togetherin some suitableway;

'In' the tlrawirigs I ha-Ve'ShOW n' Figs. 2 and 3 tWo series of Strips11. Each t'rjifi i is ''ec'ti jed to o ne-o'f the'iipri-glitell), iind15 provided i'v'ith an irregular "slot 12 extend ing- =1on 1tedina1-1yof the strip; Thfoughuppight'slOfahd is desig'hd Ito ktei d through theslot le of anfithi' of siiid Stripe 11;; when last 'nmee strip 1 1 isrigidly Ste:

near thetep; zi'iidbh' new the wee ends of the u righte I-p will beseenemtbyimeahsf o'fth stripe 1,1;themehihers'1'O are S m-my andtidjusthblyoniieeted Rvit -h "e'z i'c'hI' 6t @13- in 21 continuouscircle. The I elotsilglj made irregular, so that Whefithe deviceisroiiiidihgj the wee 'triuik.

Secured to the interior sicle s'uffe'csi'of' peseege of'iiisect erd'e'stiucti-ifei up and down the tree trunk paet Said but when thed'eirice is "colh p'sdf ehe etfip's' have same: sleek, as illustrated inFig. '1;

In F g. have showntwo -oi said ope i he device ee-e 05* If desired, theentire device filtl v b eslir- I 'S'eghiehtal plet 21 *Iiiajr heseeugrgaeeeee the adjacent plates by means of bolts 22. Each bolt 22 isfastened to one plate 21 and is received in a curved slot 23 in anadjacent plate 21. Thus the plates 21 may be slid on each other forpermitting the entire device to be expanded or contracted.

The plates 21 are provided with openings 24 which 'may allow moisture topass through said plates, and which may also be used for mounting a nailor the like 25 in said plates 21. The nail or the like 25 may be driveninto the ground for preventing horizontal movement of the device when itis installed on the tree.

In Fig. 5, I have shown a slightly different form of the strip 11. Thestrip in Fig. 5, I have indicated by the reference character 26. Suchstrip has an opening 27 at one end receiving the plate 13 and has anelongated horizontal slot 28 composed of alternate enlarged andcontracted portions.

The contracted portions are of such size that the bolts 13 will slidethrough said contracted portions, and be held tight therein, so thatsome effort is required to slide the bolt 27 e from one enlarged portionto the next enlarged portion of the slot 28. This form of the device isused for holding the entire device in any of its contracted or expandedpositions.

Before assembling the device on the tree or the like two of the bolts 13and one of the bolts 22 may be omitted, until the device is placed onthe tree, and the two bolts 13 in question, may be placed in position,and the device extended entirely around the tree will be completed.

The rings 17 may be used if desired. It

will be readily seen that the entire diameter of the device may bevaried considerably for enlarging or contracting the device for fittingtrees of different sizes.

The device is preferably placed on a tree with the strips 15 and 16fitted snugly against the bottom.

A cylinder 30 of finely meshed screen wire or the like havingoverlapping edges may be placed inside the device for protection againstcertain insects. The length of the cylinder 30 is such that it standsbetween the members 15 and 16.

The use of my device prevents the trees on the lawn from being struckand injured by a lawn mower.

It will be seen that the absorbent strip 15 not only serves to holdmedicine or the like, but also serves to cushion any blow by the lawnmower on the protecting device.

It will also be noted that the plates 21 will cover the ground for ashort distance around the tree and that a lawn mower can be run over theplates 21 without difficulty, so that by the use of my device, I avoidthe necessity of trimming the grass, which grows close around the treeby hand.

On account of the fact that the plates 21 overlap each other, it may beobserved that water will run laterally toward the lower edge of saidplates, and tend to pass into the ground underneath the plates. Alsowater will run down the tree trunk, and pass downwardly around the rootsunder the plates 21.

(in account of the adjustability of my device, it may be manufactured ina few standard sizes, which can be-adjusted to fit practically any sizeof tree or shrub.

The device is constructed so that the ups rights form units, which maybe added in any number desired, so that the device can be changed insize, and at the same time every size is adjustable to allow growth ofthe tree.

My device will protect trees and shrubs from injury or dcpredation byanimals, especially such as rabbits and the like. 7

Some changes may be made in the construction, and arrangement of theparts of my improved tree protector without departing from the essentialfeatures and principles of my invention, and it is my intention to coverby this application any modified forms of structure or use of mechanicalequivalents, which may be reasonably included within the scope ofmyclaims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A tree protecting device, comprising a plurality of upright membersarranged in. succession around the tree, an annular member comprising aplurality of sections connected with said upright members to permithorizontal sliding movement of said upright members, the device being soconstructed as to permit the enlargement or reduction of the device, andthe adding or taking out of some upright members and sections.

2. In a tree protector, a plurality of upright members arranged insuccession and designed to surround the tree and a plurality of annularmembers, each made up of a plurality of substantially horizontal strips,each of said strips being fixed to one upright member, and slidablymounted with relation to an adjacent upright member.

3. In a tree protector, a plurality of 'upright members arranged insuccession in a circle, and a plurality of annular members each having aplurality of detachably mounted strips each secured to one of saidupright members and slidably mounted on an adjacent strip.

4. A tree protecting device, comprisinga plurality of upright membersarranged in succession around the tree, an annular mem bercomprising aplurality of sections connected with said upright members to permithorizontal sliding movement of said upright members, the device being soconstructed as to permit the enlargement or reduction of the. device,and the adding or taking out of some upright members and sections, saiddevice having at its lower edge a flat outwardly extending segmentalflange member adapted to rest on the ground and permit a mower or thelike to pass over it.

5. In a device of the class described, a plurality of upright membersarranged in succession in a circle, means for adjustably, slidablyconnecting said members together, said means comprising strips securedin succession to said upright members, each strip being made ofresilient material and having slots of irregular outline, and boltssecured to said upright members and extended through said slots, theparts being so arranged that the strips must be sprung slightly formoving said bolts from one part of said slots to other parts thereof.

6. In a device of the class described, a series of overlapping segmentalplates, arranged in a circle and operatively connected together forpermitting their relative sliding movement for increasing or decreasingthe diameter of the circle prescribed by said plates, said plates beingadapted to rest flat on the ground and around a tree for preventingthegrowth of grass or Weeds immediately around the tree, and forpermitting a lawn mower to pass over said plates.

Des Hoines, Iowa, February 26, 1917.

JOHN S. KIRFMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Gommissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

